Ponderings on racism
For the mooncake festival, my colleague asked me to join them for dinner. There was supposed to be 7 people, but in the end my editor couldn’t make because she was sick, and my marketing manager was sick, and my other colleague had too much to finish up before she officially became my ex-colleague. So there was only my two designers, a merchandising colleague and me.It was great. Good food, good company, good laughter. We bitched about some colleagues in the office (hahaha). We applauded some’s cute-ness (hahaha). And we speculated and confirmed the rumours that we each heard about the company. Good flow of information all around. What can I say? We’re all busybodies.
We got to talking about the high turnover in our company, especially in the sales department. My merchandising colleague made a comment about how the company seems to be hiring too many ‘blackies’. My designers and I looked at each other. Then one ventured to ask.
“Don’t mind me saying it but seems you are a little racist,” he said.
“Yes, I admit. I am quite racist. I don’t like the way management is hiring all these Indians. Especially when they can’t do work.”
Okay… We didn’t expand on this delicate topic after that. But as I drove back to the office carpark to drop off my designers for them to collect their cars, we talked a little about it.
“Never expected her to be racist.”
“Well, at least, she was being honest about it.”
“True, but I never thought she was like that and that would be so vocal about it.”
In my mind, I couldn’t help thinking how many people out there are like that. But I guess there are a few categories in various degrees.
One, those that were racists and wouldn’t hesitate to offer their opinion.
Two, those who were racists and were inflexible in their opinion, but didn’t broadcast it.
Three, those who were racists to a certain degree, didn’t broadcast it unless to close circles, but was willing to adjust their opinions according to circumstances.
The country where I am can be very bias in their favours towards certain races – mainly, the Muslims. There is a whole history to look into and bring out for debate, if we so wanted to argue. But there really isn’t any point unless we wanted to reenact a slightly different and milder version of the Holocaust. Which I’m sure no one wants to. I belong to the third group. Despite knowing the way this country is, I still don’t need to like certain things happening.
1. I don’t like the way they allow their mosques to be build in large scales, whereas the churches had to apply for ages before given permission to build a normal church, and instead have to settle for shoplots.
I don’t like the way they have to blast their prayers for the entire neighbourhood, and the next one as well, to hear.
2. I don’t like the way they double-park, triple-park by the roadside on Fridays, when they go for prayers, obstructing traffic and causing jams from 12 to 3pm.
3. I don’t like the way the government workers go for long-extended lunches on Fridays, starting from 12 to 2.30/3pm, when prayers only start at 1pm, which means we cannot do any important government transactions on that day, if we wanted it quick.
4. I don’t like the way they are going around now, being extra vigilant, to catch parking, speeding, driving offenders, and non-handsfree phone users, in the hopes of getting extra pocket money (bribery money) for their upcoming holiday Raya, even when you are not in the wrong.
5. I don’t like the way they get extra privileges over others, in terms of housing loans, car purchasing loans, etc, when they are not even the real aboriginal people of this country.
6. Most especially, I don’t like the way they run to the bomoh (witch doctor) and place charms on people they don’t like, for the slightest reason. To me, it just spells childish and lazy, because they can’t handle their problems properly and are too lazy to do anything conducive and productive with their hands, brain and (undeserved) privileges.
Yet, I try and remain non-judgmental. I do have many Malay friends who are intelligent, hard-working, helpful, self-less, considerate, warm and loving. But sadly, it’s only still a sad handful. I hope our younger generation will turn out better than their predecessors and generation.
We used to argue in uni. that Westernisation brought about a lot of cultural erosion in the Asian region. But I can’t help but think that here, in this instance, that Westernisation is just the right medicine to shake up this conservative and authoritarian country. Because then this country will be forced to open up more and discard their rigid thinking. And yet, I know the struggle to maintain the right level of tradition and culture will become more challenging than before.
posted by Jennirhiow @ 12:50 pm
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